A potential gas partnership between Guyana and Suriname is on the horizon as both nations continue to strengthen their bilateral relations.
During a press conference on Thursday, Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo, announced that Guyana is keen to collaborate with Suriname on shared gas infrastructure, further expanding their cooperation.
“We are very pleased that Suriname is able to get an FID [final investment decision] now…and we are looking forward to working with Suriname on synergies and exploring what kinds of shared infrastructure we can establish, as we are the only two contiguous countries in CARICOM,” Jagdeo stated.
His remarks follow reports that French oil giant TotalEnergies is set to invest $10.5 billion in Suriname’s first offshore oil project. Along with APA Corporation, TotalEnergies will develop the Gran Morgu field, which holds an estimated 700 million barrels of oil. Jagdeo commended this milestone for Suriname, acknowledging its potential to significantly boost the nation’s development.
While the project will largely focus on oil production, Jagdeo emphasized the importance of gas development in the region. Noting Suriname’s substantial gas discoveries and Guyana’s own gas-rich finds near the Suriname border, he highlighted the need for collaboration. “We still need to look at the development of gas, and our discoveries closer to the Suriname border had more gas in them, so we still need to try to collaborate,” he said.
The potential partnership would align with Guyana’s National Gas Strategy, which focuses on monetising resources beyond the Liza field in the Stabroek Block. Jagdeo used the occasion to also disclose that he has already engaged Suriname’s Foreign Minister, Albert Ramdin, to discuss the way forward on this collaboration.
The deepening ties between Guyana and Suriname are not limited to the energy sector. The two countries are also working on several infrastructural projects, including the Corentyne River Bridge, which aims to enhance connectivity between the two nations.
The bridge, designed to last 100 years and set to be completed in three years, will not only improve transportation but also spur the development of Long Island. This project is expected to create jobs for hundreds of farmers and boost agricultural production, advancing Guyana’s goal of achieving food security by 2025.
